This invention relates to a novel sucroglyceride powder preparation, a novel process for obtaining the powder preparation and the novel uses of the powder preparation, for example, in dough for cakes, crackers, pastries, and other bakery products.
The term "sucroglyceride" has been used to describe the mixture of products obtained when sucrose (i.e., ordinary sugar) is reacted with a natural or synthetic triglyceride. Generally, a sucroglyceride comprises a mixture of monoglycerides, small amounts of unreacted triglyceride, and monoesters and diesters of sucrose in varying proportions, depending on the nature of the triglyceride used, and the proportion thereof relative to the sucrose used. A sucroglyceride can also include esters of sucrose, ranging from triesters to octaesters. By the term "combined sucrose" is generally meant all such esters of sucrose.
Sucroglycerides have important emulsifiying properties due, in particular, to the sucrose mono- and di-esters and to the monoglycerides. They are non-ionic emulsifiers which are completely biodegradable, non-toxic, odorless, tasteless, and readily accepted by living organisms. Accordingly, they have been used in animal and human food and more particularly in food products such as: cake, cracker, pastry and other bakery products, confectionary and chocolate-candy products, fats, sauces, condiments, ravioli, cannelloni, custards, and creams.
The use of sucroglycerides in cakes, crackers and pastries has been known to allow shorter mixing times and shorter kneading times of their dough, easier incorporation of grease into their dough, and easier working of their dough. Additionally, sucroglycerides have been known to provide a finer texture of dough in products containing them. See, for example, French Pat. No. 1,483,176.
However, the use of sucroglycerides has involved problems due to their physical form. In pure state, sucroglycerides have been thick and waxy. This has made it necessary either to melt sucroglycerides before adding them to dough or to place them in an aqueous dispersion, in which they can then be added to dough. At present, sucroclycerides are generally used in a pasty, rather than a fluid, form which is the result of emulsification with sugar and water. Such a pasty form makes sucroglycerides more readily dispersible in dough, but such a form is not easy to handle. Furthermore, such a form is not suitable for certain applications, particularly for the production of flour mixes which require a powdered form.
Other, easier handling forms of sucroglycerides have therefore been sought. In particular, a powdered form of sucroglycerides has been sought which makes it possible to retain the valuable properties of sucroglycerides but which allows sucroglycerides to be more easily incorporated into dough.